Wisconsin State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2024
Wisconsin Senate District 16
A district of about 198,000 people, 46% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+30.1 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Melissa Ratcliff (D) · won97.2%
- Write-ins and other votes (OTH)2.8%
Unopposed.
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 12:13 PM ET
Where it sits among all 33 seats
Every Wisconsin State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
15 races since 1968. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2024 | |||
| 2024 | Melissa Ratcliff (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Melissa Agard Sargent (D) | Scott Barker (R) | 46.9 |
| 2016 | Mark Miller (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 2012 | Mark Miller (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Mark Miller (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 2004 | Mark Miller (D) | Eric P. Peterson (R) | 20.2 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Charles J. Chvala (D) | Lisa B. Nelson (R) | 15.9 |
| 1996 | Charles J. Chvala (D) | Tom Metcalfe (R) | 9.0 |
| 1992 | Charles J. Chvala (D) | Eric D. Gordon (R) | 27.3 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Charles J. Chvala (D) | J. Michael Blaska (R) | 24.9 |
| 1984 | Charles J. Chvala (D) | Storm (R) | 10.9 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1980 | Carl W. Thompson (D) | Richard Masterson (R) | 15.6 |
| 1976 | Carl W. Thompson (D) | George B. Innes (R) | 44.3 |
| 1972 | Carl W. Thompson (D) | Leonard J. Griffith (R) | 29.9 |
| Lines first used in 1962 | |||
| 1968 | Carl W. Thompson (D) | Ivan H. Kindschi (R) | 13.0 |
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 16
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 16's area in each.
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2024 | |
|---|---|
| President | D+29.5 |
| U.S. Senate | D+30.2 |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 33 seats. Small marks are other seats in Wisconsin. The black marker is District 16.
Higher than 88% of seats.
Lower than 75% of seats.
Higher than 62% of seats.
Higher than 81% of seats.
Higher than 81% of seats.
Denser than 56% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean. 1 of the 4 flipped this year.
District 744% college gradsD+29.5Held DDistrict 5
50% college gradsD+5.4Flipped DDistrict 8
55% college gradsD+2.0Not up in 2026District 18
31% college gradsD+8.8Not up in 2026
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET